Author /Aaron Gilbert

It is imperative that every tool in your box is reliable. More importantly, certain tools need special attention to continue to stay in working order. Accurate torque wrench calibration should be done by a professional at least once a year. If you are really good about keeping it clean and turning the torque back to its lowest setting, you might be able to go a little longer.

A torque wrench is a precision instrument and the smallest amount of dirt can throw off the calibration, causing a stud to break, a thread to strip, or a nut to become dangerously loose. It is recommended by professionals that you prep your torque wrench before each use. You simply need to: 1) set the torque to the middle of the range and 2) twist the wrench with consistent pressure until it clicks five to six times. The only thing that is left at this point is to set your torque wrench to the proper setting, and you are good to go.

Why Torque Wrench Calibration is Necessary

There is no question that torque wrench calibration makes your instrument more precise and effective. A torque wrench that has not been calibrated can trigger particular hazards in your home or automobile, since the information it is giving you inaccurate information. Experts state that a 4% error is the maximum amount acceptable in torque applications. Still, you want a properly, advanced measuring instrument to make sure you stay within that tolerance.

For example, if you are wrenching on your expensive automobile or connecting gas lines in your home, you want to be right on target with the torque specifications for every nut or bolt you turn. You can cost yourself a whole lot of stress and spent money by turning your wrench too tight and twisting it a few more unnecessary times for insurance. The fact of the matter is overtightened nuts and bolts are more likely not to work right than correctly torque fasteners.

Under-torqued nuts or bolts can come loose prematurely from their connections. This is the reason professional torque wrench calibration is recommended. However, we will give you the steps to perform a torque wrench calibration on your own if you cannot afford to get it done by a specialist. This method will make your torque wrench as operational as if a professional performed the torque wrench calibration.

To keep your torque wrench functioning properly, it should be lubricated and clean at all times. This will prolong its life. In addition, you should always have the setting at zero, so you will not exhaust the spring. This eliminates the need to have a torque wrench calibration every time you are ready to use it.

Having a professional perform a torque wrench calibration does not justify the expense, especially when you consider how much an inexpensive, consumer-grade torque wrench costs. On the other hand, you need to have accurate wrenches to feel confident about your work. Luckily, it is very easy to check the accuracy of your torque wrenches right from your work bench in your home.

The idea of using a business accounting software is to make keeping up with your company’s finances easier. QuickBooks, one of the most well-known versions, is quite easy to use. And with a few tricks, you can make it easier. Here are some tips to speed up and streamline your interaction with QuickBooks.

Use Keyboard Shortcuts

Similar to other Window-based applications, there are several keyboard shortcuts you can use with QuickBooks. When you need to get to an invoice or statement quickly, you want to get there as fast as you can. Here are some tips below:

To start an invoice, hit Ctrl + I

To edit a selected transaction in register, hit Ctrl + E

To find a transaction, hit Ctrl + F

To open the customer center, hit Ctrl + J

To memorize transaction, hit Ctrl + M

To open a memorized transaction list, hit Ctrl + T

To write a new check, hit Ctrl + W

Modify the Icon Bar

QuickBooks provides an icon bar at the top of the screen. However, you can change or modify the icon bar to better suit your needs. The best part is that it isn’t hard to do.

To Remove an Icon: Go to the view menu and click on the customize icon bar. Pick the icon you to remove and delete it.

To Add an Icon: Go to the view menu, click on the customize icon bar, and click on add. Pick the desired item from the list. If you want to change the label and description, do so. Click ok.

To Modify an Icon: Go to the view menu, click on the customize icon bar, and pick the item you want to modify. Click edit and make the changes. Click ok.

Use the QuickBooks Calculator

If you liked the old-fashion calculator with the tape, you will find this one much more fun to use. It works just the same. For example, to get the tape going, you just have to click the equal (=) sign.

Use the Program Preferences

QuickBooks has a setup wizard that assists you with laying the accounting groundwork for your company. Even though it is not lengthy, it isn’t all-inclusive. Some of the issues and questions that QuickBooks features can help you with are:

Colorless, boring basements are no more in the home remodeling industry. Stylish and innovative basements bring room and functionality to individuals looking to enhance their space. A basement remodel can be transformed into the bedroom your teenager is asking for, your college grad looking to come back home, or a living space to be rented out for extra income. Regardless of your reason, the space solution is situated right under your feet.

While some basements have been constructed to create more living area, the majority of these spaces are used for temporary laundry rooms and storage repositories for everything from freezers to boxes of papers and files. In other words, most basements are underused. While basements get a bad rap at times, when they are remodeled, they actually can serve a number of purposes, including:

Man Cave

Wine Cellar

Wet Bar

Entertainment Center/Media Room

Playroom

Gym

Basement remodeling is one of the most economical ways to get the extra room you need without spending time and money searching for a new home. In order for your basement remodel to go smoothly, there are a few details to think about beforehand

Facts to Consider Before Your Basement Remodeling Project

Unlike the rest of your house, basement remodeling takes careful planning and prep work. Below-grade home construction is subjective to moisture and water, two adversaries of home renovations. Furthermore, mold and mildew are common in basements, as well as the challenge posed by overhead pipes and ductwork.

Waterproofing

Before starting your basement remodeling project, you might want to seriously consider waterproofing. If water occasionally wells up between the slab and the foundation, you will need to call a home remodeling contractor for advice. It could be that your gutters or downspouts need replacing, or it could be something more serious.

Limited LightingUnless you have an open basement, where one or more walls are above-grade and have the capacity for wide windows and glazed doors, natural lighting will be limited with in the basement due to the small windows. However, since most basements possess drop ceilings, you can install additional lighting with troffer light fixtures. Additionally, you might want to consider installing other types of lighting, such as sconces, spotlights, or cove lighting.

If a person is asthmatic, mold exposure can trigger an asthma attack and other symptoms like chest tightening, wheezing, and shortness of breath. Some people with weak immune systems can develop serious reactions to mold exposure, such as a persistent fever or a lung infection. Studies by major health and science organizations have shown that healthy people can develop upper respiratory tract infections after being exposed to mold within an indoor environment. A good way to remove mold from your outdoor space is with a comprehensive pressure wash by a professional general contracting business.

Wetness and moldy surfaces were revealed to have something to do with the increase in an assortment of breathing and respiratory issues. Moreover, having mold in the home can have costly consequences. Of the 21.8 people that have asthma in the U.S., 4.6 million cases have reported that it was due to mold and dampness exposures. The national annual cost of asthma resulting from mold exposure in the home is approximately $3.5 billion dollars.

Ways of Removing Mold From the Air

An air purifier is a great way to remove mold from the air. They get rid of spores and other allergens from the air to stop allergies and other irritants and prevent them from contaminating the air in the future. When considering an air purifier, there are a number of factors to take into consideration, including:

Power Usage

Noise Level

Filter Replacement

Amount of Air Cleaned on an Hourly Basis

The best air purifier is one with a HEPA filter and an activated carbon pre-filter. Operating an air purifier in the home will reduce airborne mold spores and make the air as breathable and clean as possible. Air purifiers are constructed to run 24-hours a day, so they are consistently cleaning the air. Not only do they operate on very little power, but they make very little noise, guaranteeing very little disturbance.

The size of the air purifier should depend on the size of the room where it will be used. This is why it is imperative to check air purifiers for room recommendations. It should be the same or greater than the room where it will be located. The room size for an air purifier depends on how quickly the air is cleaned by the air purifier.

Medical professionals suggest that an air purifier must possess the ability to clean the air two times every hour, as well as make six air changes every hour. The reason is the more ACH the better.

Mold is a type of fungus, made of decomposers of non-living organic materials, such as foliage and wood. Because they are tiny, your eyes can’t see the spores and hair-like bodies of mold colonies, and they can only be seen with a microscope. When a lot of mold colonies are growing together, they appear blue, black, or green.

Typically, molds grow in wet, damp, and humid conditions. Although showers and basements are areas susceptible to mold growth, mold can grow in any moist area in the home. Some areas in the home that are predisposed to mold are:

Wallpaper/Ceiling Tiles/Paneling

Flooring

Furniture

Ductwork

Roofing

Plumbing Pipes Areas

Additionally, mold can come into the home from outdoors through open windows, open doors, or vents. Furthermore, it can be carried inside by pets, as well as attaching to your shoes or clothing. Besides having a color, mold can have a musty odor.

Health Risks of Mold

Because living in a totally mold-free environment is virtually impossible, we are exposed to mold every day. As mold grows, the spores evaporate into the air and are easily inhaled, making individuals who inhale a large number of spores very sick. Due to health concerns, this is the main reason it is recommended to remove mole in the home as soon as it is visible.

Mold can cause many health issues. It is not toxic or poisonous, but it produces allergens, irritants, and toxins that can cause severe reactions. A reaction to mold depends on the age, the amount of mold exposure, and the individual’s sensitivities or allergies. Simply put, one person’s reaction to mold exposure can be considerably different for another person exposed to the same amount of mold. Symptoms from touching or inhaling mold include: